Black Church Beginnings: The Long-Hidden Realities of the First Years Paperback - 2004

First line

The powerful early influence of African traditional religion and culture on the belief and practice of those enslaved in America is easy to find.

From the rear cover

"Black Church Beginnings" provides an intimate look at the struggles of African Americans to establish spiritual communities in the harsh world of slavery in the American colonies. Written by one of todaybs foremost experts on African American religion, this book traces the growth of the black church from its start in the mid-1700s to the end of the nineteenth century.

As Henry Mitchell shows, the first African American churches didnbt just organize; they labored hard, long, and sacrificially to form a meaningful, independent faith. Mitchell insightfully takes readers inside this process of development. He candidly examines the challenge of finding adequately trained pastors for new local congregations, confrontations resulting from internal class structure in big city churches, and obstacles posed by emerging denominationalism.

Original in its subject matter and singular in its analysis, Mitchellbs "Black Church Beginnings" makes a major contribution to the study of American church history.

Media reviews

Citations

• Choice, 04/01/2005, Page 1417
• Ebony, 11/22/2004, Page 28
• Multicultural Review, 06/01/2005, Page 79